


To the End of the Sky

by Woofemus



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, F/F, Immortals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:34:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25567525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woofemus/pseuds/Woofemus
Summary: "I wish to see eternity with you."
Relationships: Athena/Medusa (Granblue Fantasy)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	To the End of the Sky

**Author's Note:**

> me extrapolating all primal lore from the entire game and somehow mashing it all together in some kind of mess

_Athena, guardian primal beast and the bearer of the shield._

That is all she is given when she opens her eyes for the first time.

A tool of the Astrals, she is released into the skydom of Phantagrande. Her duty: to enforce order and peace.

She learns many things right away: she is a living weapon called a primal beast, her Astral masters wage war against the dwellers of the sky, and the sky is blue.

The sky… is endlessly blue.

At first, it is the Astrals that direct her path, command her as they see fit. She obeys them, coming to islands ravaged by battle and defending them until they are able to get back on their feet. They command her to move elsewhere, and she follows.

Years pass.

The Astrals lose the War.

Just like many of her brethren, she is abandoned and left behind in the realm of the skydwellers.

This allows Athena to learn about the skydwellers.

They are interesting creatures, Athena thinks. They are born as tiny babes with no knowledge and they must learn from other mortals their values and traditions. They grow up, and choose to live their life however they see fit. Then, their bones become old and brittle, until finally, their life simply ends. The ones that grow to old age are the lucky ones, Athena learns.

Skydwellers are so fragile, in both physicality and mentality. Illness can ravage them so easily, or any whims of nature can also devastate them just as easily as well. They can grow prideful as well, and wage war over the smallest and pettiest of reasons.

Jealousy, greed, arrogance… and also hope, resilience, and love…

Endlessly fascinating, and full of potential, Athena thinks of them.

Unlike the Astrals and primal beasts, the lifespans of skydwellers are finite. Sometimes, in her long years, Athena finds herself pondering how that must feel, the fear of death. To be born into the world, to grow… and to realize that life will simply end, one way or another for them. Everything they have done in their life, for all their strengths, for all their passions, for all their dreams… it will all end eventually.

Athena, and so many of her brethren, do not understand what that feels like. Perhaps, that is why skydwellers do reckless things. Perhaps, that is why skydwellers can despair and feel so weak and give up so easily. Perhaps, that is why skydwellers also strive for far greater ambitions that surpass even their own lives…

Her duty is to protect the weak, and it is these skydwellers that will now receive her protection.

Even when the Astrals are gone, and as surely as the sky is blue, Athena's duty has never changed.

* * *

In her long years, Athena has experienced her fair share of tragedies and horrors.

Sometimes, she arrives too late, comes upon a horrific scene too awful to describe with mere words. Grisly would be too light a description. Monsters are vicious creatures and powerless mortals fall prey to them more often than not. On other occasions, it is the skydwellers themselves that have turned on each other, and Athena witnesses how cruel mortals can truly be, of the darkness that can dwell inside them.

It shakes her but hardens her resolve. She will be there for the next village, for the next person. Her duty is tireless, and endless, but she is the guardian primal beast of the shield. She _must_ fulfill her duty.

It is the reason for her existence.

So as the years pass, the decades roll, and the centuries give rise to new ages, Athena dutifully presses onward.

Thus, when she comes across a town with a grim scene, she finds herself hardly batting an eye. The entire town is turned to stone, its people standing as mere statues in the middle of the street. There is no sign of movement anywhere, as least as far as Athena can see.

"How terrible," Athena whispers to herself, cursing herself for being too slow to arrive. She walks through the town, surveying everything. Perhaps she might be able to find a clue as to how this had happened, there might be—

"H-hello? Is someone there?!" A muffled voice comes from one of the statues Athena had just walked past. Athena blinks, surprised as she sees the statue shaking slightly now. "Please help us out! Our armor's been turned to stone, but we're just fine!"

This is… a turn of events. She had not been expecting to find anyone alive.

"You're… you're fine?" she calls out. She's still wary, though, her eyes scanning all over just in case there might be some sort of monster or mimic. A chorus of muffled cries seemingly coming from the statues answer her. Then…

"Yes! Please help us!"

While the people hadn't been turned to stone, their armor had been. And that, perhaps, is a crueler fate, Athena thinks.

After Athena breaks them all free from their stone prisons and makes sure no one else is hurt, she asks for information. She's never come across a scene like this, or heard of any monsters that had the power to turn living beings to stone. Perhaps...

"What happened here?" she asks first. It would be prudent to gather more information first before jumping to her conclusions.

"W-we were just minding our business, and this giant snake came up to us! Turned us all to stone!" one of them says, his voice fearful.

"It went off that way!" another one points off in the direction of the forest laying on the outskirts. Athena thanks them, promises she will return to check on them after she is finished, and dashes off. A giant snake… perhaps it really had been a monster then? Whatever monster has done this, though, she cannot allow it to continue its rampage. She cannot allow any more harm to befall any more residents of this island!

Athena finds the monster easily enough… and also realizes she _had_ been right in her initial line of reasoning. A small girl sits on a stump in the middle of a clearing, clearly agitated by the way her tail whips about in the air. A giant snake is there as well, loosely circled around her as its forked tongue flickers occasionally in the air.

There is no mistaking this sort of presence… it is another primal beast.

It is not as if Athena has not had to deal with the rampages of her primal kin upon the mortals, but it makes her uneasy at the thought still. Because of their natures as created weapons, it is not so easy to measure the differences between their strengths and powers, so Athena finds it hard to gauge if she will be successful in repelling this primal. Of course, that is not to say she _wants_ to do battle, but she hopes that this primal beast still has her conscience. Too often, Athena finds primal beasts with lost minds, having gone mad through either their power running amok or their purpose simply being too harmful to coexist in peace.

With that said…

Athena continues to observe the pair. When it seems as if they haven't noticed her, she cautiously steps closer. It does seem as if they are still within their senses… but better to try to gleam as much information as she can observe.

"Bunch of dumb mortals, calling me names! What do they know about me?! They're so lucky, if my sisters had heard them, they'd be gone! Good thing I didn't find them on this island, right, Medusiana?! I wouldn't want them to be stuck here with such stupid skydwellers—"

A branch snaps underneath Athena's foot.

Both primal and snake whirl toward her, with the snake rearing up and hissing as it subtly moves its head in front of the girl. It wants to protect her, Athena notes.

They stare at each other. Ah, but was it not the power of the eyes of the primal that the mortals feared had turned them to stone? To stare so directly into her eyes as Athena is doing right now is the most foolhardy move she has done.

But Athena is still flesh. The primal has not used her power.

Negotiations can still come forth then.

"You!" And, strangely, a grin comes to the other primal beast, her fangs peeking out past her lips. "You're a primal beast, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am—"

"Good!" The primal doesn't even wait for her to finish talking before she interrupts. "Help me deal with those skydwellers! They're causing me trouble!"

Athena blinks. She... had not been expecting this. So surprised that she doesn't realize she hasn't answered until the girl talks again.

"... hello?" The primal looks at her strangely. "What's wrong with you? Those skydwellers didn't hurt you or anything on the way here, did they?"

Athena finally regains her composure, and thinks it strange for the other primal to show concern for her. Perhaps she isn't the monster the skydwellers made her out to be.

But she is still the same primal that had brought harm to the mortals, and judging by her earlier words, does not think she is in the wrong for it. "On the contrary, I believe it is _you_ that is causing trouble for them."

The primal widens her eyes and gapes at her. Disbelief and shock colors her expression. She doesn't move at all. Athena is long used to that sort of look. Unfazed, she speaks again.

"I do not wish to fight, I only ask that you please leave them alo—"

The primal interrupts her with a hiss, her fangs bared. "What… _you're_ on their side?" The primal finally speaks, and her eyes are narrowed in a glare.

"I am on the side of peace. I do not wish for further conflict between either of you. If you could please come with me and—"

"Hell no!" The giant snake behind the primal beast starts to rise, its eyes flashing dangerously. "I came here for—I mean, I just wanted to have fun! What do the skydwellers understand about us?!"

The situation is escalating far quicker than Athena had anticipated. Athena needs to calm her down. "You can have fun without causing trouble—"

"Who are _you_ to tell me anything?! If you're going to tell me to stop, then—" the earth splits and cracks and tremors rock the island. Athena's eyes widen as she loses her footing. "You can get away from me too! Medusiana! Turn this idiot to stone!"

"Aegis!" Her shield slams down in front of her just as the ground cracks to impale her. It crashes and folds against her shield like paper and she shoves it away. Just as quickly, though, she whips her shield back just in time to hide from the sight of the giant snake, its eyes shining bright. _Something_ crashes against her shield, the petrifying power turned harmless against the might of her shield.

When she looks out over her shield, both girl and snake are glaring at her, hissing. Athena sees it as well, how there are snakes formed from the hair of the primal as well, all poised to strike out at her.

Very well. If she has chosen to answer this way, then Athena will respond in kind.

Flames rise from the ground, coursing between the ground and blazing bright like magma as earth and fire mix together.

"You have shown your hand. I will show you mine." It is now Athena's own eyes that flash dangerously, summoning her power. The power of the flames obey her call, and they now surge through both her and the ground. The compulsion takes hold of her, and the battle is set. There is only one outcome now—there can only _be_ one outcome now.

"I, Athena, guardian primal beast of the shield, cannot show mercy to those that cannot be reasoned with!"

* * *

Three years pass before Athena sees her again.

It is sheer coincidence, really, if Athena must think about it. She had stopped on an island to rest for a bit and to allow Glafkos to feed himself. Once he had gotten his fill, she'd been ready to fly off when she heard commotion nearby. Curious, she had wandered closer, and found a village full of skydwellers. The air around them is tense and apprehensive.

One of them catches sight of her, eyes widening with fear as she points for the others—Athena quickly raises her hands to placate them.

"I am a traveling knight," she says as soon as she comes close enough for them to hear her. "Tell me, is there something troubling you all?"

They all look at each other, uneasy. They huddle together to speak before one of them nods and turns to her.

"A girl with a huge snake passed by here and..." he breaks off in a shudder, his voice low as if he is afraid his words will summon her again. He gestures to the side and Athena sees it, their fields… and the animals standing still in the middle of it, turned to stone.

A girl with a huge snake, one that can turn enemies to stone—

Ah.

Now Athena remembers.

"Very well. Have no fear, I will deal with her," Athena tells them.

It seems that primal had learned little from their last encounter. Athena is more than happy to speak to her again and hopes her words will finally get through to her this time.

She finds the other primal easily enough, at the edge of the island. The primal is standing with her arms crossed, clearly displeased as she kicks at the ground. Next to her, the giant snake flicks its tongue out. Athena gets the impression that it is worried.

"—not here either! I shouldn't have trusted Baal! Ooh, he's going to hear it from me when I see him!" Athena hears as she comes closer. The long ears of the primal twitch suddenly and she whirls around, staring straight at Athena. The snake hisses, slithering in front of the primal and rearing up to tower over her.

"It's you again! I thought I told you to never show your face in front of me ever again!" the primal hisses. Ah, that answers one of Athena's questions; she still does remember Athena.

"You did, and we have not seen each other for three years."

"And those were the most peaceful three years of my life!"

"Alas, I would honor your wish had you not started your troublemaking once more." Athena shakes her head. "It falls upon me to stop you now."

"I didn't even _do_ anything this time!"

"... did you not turn some of their animals to stone?"

"Wh—" the primal scowls at her before crossing her arms and huffing. "Hmph! The spell would've been broken after a few hours! And they were about to attack me anyway! I was trying to mind my own business this time too!" She bares her fangs. "What, am I not allowed to defend myself too?!"

"I did not say that," Athena quickly reassures. "But your power is a fearful one. The skydwellers here are already afraid of you. Will you not at least decide to leave to give them a peace of mind?"

"What do I care about what some dumb skydwellers think?! They're the ones who acted first! And they're the ones who should come and say sorry to me!"

Athena clicks her tongue. She's talked to one a many stubborn individual… but this primal might just be the most stubborn one Athena has found yet. The primal has every right to be angry, she agrees with that… but she is still the one with the power here over the skydwellers. Athena had not glimpsed any warriors or anyone who had held weapons from what little she had seen of the village. Were Athena not here, this primal might have gone on another rampage, turned more than just their animals to stone.

"... is that what you truly want? You want the skydwellers to apologize to you?" Athena asks. If she will agree to it, then Athena will attempt to mediate a conversation between the two, and perhaps she'll be able to convince her to leave.

The primal snarls at her. "Hah! I don't care what any skydweller says to me at this point! They're the ones who started it, so it's all their fault!"

… this is not an easy dialogue. Athena wonders what other avenues to approach, to get through to one so stubborn. There _must_ be something, another angle, another way…

Just as Athena figures out what to say, the primal starts to growl, her eyes flashing. "You know what, I'm getting tired of listening to you too."

"W-wait! Not yet, please do not resort to—"

The primal leaps into the sky, the giant snake catching her with its head. Flashes of light come from both of their eyes—Athena quickly raises her shield, warding off the incoming petrification. Around her, the ground cracks underneath the primal's power.

"So it has come down to this again…" Power courses through Athena, the flames heeding her call as they burst from the ground, grass and shrubbery burning to cinders. "If you will not listen to me, then I will end your rampage myself!"

"You think _you're_ going to stop me again!" Both Medusa and the giant snake hiss loudly. Some of the snakes that have formed from Medusa's hair are mirroring the same actions as well. "Don't you know who I am?! I'm Medusa, one of the Gorgon sisters! We were so powerful that nothing could stand in our way! We were unstoppable! You think I'll lose to someone like you?!"

Medusa. The youngest of the Gorgon sisters then.

"I have heard of you, but are you not by yourself right now? Your sisters are not here," Athena points out, and Medusa recoils as if slapped. She glares at her—oh? Athena can glimpse tears at the edge of her eyes.

Although that does make Athena curious now—where _are_ Medusa's sisters, in any case?

"S-so!? What's your point?! Even by myself, I'm more than enough for you!" Medusa roars. "Get out of my sight!"

Athena guards herself against Medusa's onslaught and laments the breakdown of their negotiations. Flames burn the ground and force Medusa up into the sky.

"Please! I truly do not wish to fight you!" Athena shouts at her.

"You can't say that after trying to burn my scales off!"

The giant snake lunges at her, mouth gaping open to swallow her. Athena also takes to the sky—and sees Medusa about to fall upon her, claws at the ready. She brings up her shield, and realizes too late that this is what Medusa had intended when she sees the giant snake getting ready to spring up at her defenseless back.

Glafkos swoops with a cry. He rakes at the snake's eyes with his talons. The snake hisses in pain, falling back to the ground. Glafkos hoots and circles around the snake, intending to keep it back as their masters battle.

"Ah! Medusiana!" Medusa shoves against her shield, fury in her eyes. "How dare you?! I won't forgive you for hurting her!"

"I truly do not wish to fight you," Athena tries again even if she knows it is futile. She _cannot_ stop once the battle is set, but perhaps she can still attempt to reason through to Medusa. "If you would please cease your—

"Are you _still_ talking?! Just shut up already, I don't care about what you have to say anymore!" Medusa screams at her as she slashes away at Athena's shield.

Regrettable, Athena thinks.

* * *

Many years pass.

Athena continues to chase after Medusa, who never seems to listen to her no matter what she says. It is a weary task but one Athena must undertake, for the sake of the skies she has spent her life defending.

As stubborn as Medusa seems to be, Athena thinks that there is still hope that Medusa will finally listen, or be more open to dialogue. It seems like an impossible wish at this time, but it is one she hopes will be granted.

Unknowing to Athena, as she continues to chase after Medusa's trail, a wish begins to take hold in her heart. Must they continue to fight? Must they...

On one occasion, Athena arrives on an island with a sense of foreboding. Her senses are telling her there is danger, and when she finds the town of the island, her worst fears are realized.

There are monsters advancing upon a town… and she can see that the town has few fortifications, if any at all. She can see guards, but she can also see how their knees quake, their weapons shaking in their grips. They are no warriors, and if they are to meet these monsters, they will be slaughtered.

Athena dashes ahead and stands tall with her shield and spear, hoping that monsters seeing a warrior standing against them might be enough to impede them. It does not. Some of them seem to pause, perhaps in sensing her power, but continue to run straight ahead. There are far too many for Athena to take on one by one.

Left with no choice, Athena calls forth her flames, scorching both the monsters and the land in their entirety until none of the monsters are left. The destruction afterward when her flames die down always leaves her somber. She would rather redirect the monsters elsewhere… but it is a small price to pay for the lives of innocents.

Athena steps into town, addressing everyone there. In her haste to reassure everyone, she fails to notice the tense silence that has fallen over the town as they all stare at her.

"The monsters have all been dealt with, your safety is assured. If you would allow me to assist you in bolstering your defenses, I can…" and now Athena notices it, the expressions of the townspeople. Surveying the crowd, she sees the same fear that had gripped them now being directed toward _her_.

Someone hesitantly takes a step forward, his lips trembling as he speaks for them all. "You're… you're just like her! Just like those other monsters! Please, stay away from us! I beg of you!"

Athena wants to argue but the moment she opens her mouth, she sees the crowd flinch. Terror has already destroyed their rationality.

… that is fine, she thinks. Leaving would be the best option for these people. She can do no more for them by herself. Leaving, she bows her head at them.

Athena makes her way out of the town, looking up at the sky. The sun is starting to set, orange hues settling over the sky. Athena would enjoy it… if she were in a better mood. The encounter with the townspeople hangs on her mind. It is certainly not the first time she has had to encounter skydwellers like them, but it makes her regret all the same. If only she had come earlier… or if only there might have been another way to resolve the attack if Athena had thought it out another way, or—

… she cannot continue to think this way. If she had hesitated, she's sure innocent lives would have been lost. She cannot think her actions completely wrong, if lives had been saved. This is what she tells herself… but she will continue to learn from these experiences.

Perhaps she should patrol around the perimeter of the island, just to make sure they will be safe. The best thing would have been if she had stayed to talk to them on how to bolster their defenses, but that is out of the question now. It would also help to give her a peace of mind, as well. With that plan in mind, she sets off.

Patrolling around the island does reveal more information, though, namely the petrified monsters scattered around the island. Some of them resemble the monsters that had attacked the town. Perhaps… they had attacked out of vengeance, or desperation? Athena places a hand on one of the statues, her eyes narrowing.

There is only one explanation for this.

Medusa is already spinning on her heels to look at her, face twisting into a snarl once Athena lands nearby. It hadn't been hard to find her; all Athena needed was to look for the huge snake and she had found them on the opposite end of the island.

"Hello, Medusa. So you _were_ here all along."

"Hello?! Don't act like you're familiar with me!" Medusa hisses at her. Hm, Athena had hoped she would be more receptive, after several encounters. "Are you _still_ chasing after me?! What the hell do you want now?"

"I patrolled around the island just now. Was it you that petrified those monsters?"

Medusa crosses her arms, smirking. "And what about it? You gonna tell me I can't do that? Wasn't even skydwellers this time!"

"No…" Athena shakes her head. "But your actions had agitated the other monsters and sent them attacking the village."

"Wha—" Both the smirk and Medusa's arms fall. She's scowling. "That's not completely my fault!"

"The skydwellers had also seen you," Athena also points out. Now that she recalls the words of the skydwellers— _"you're also just like her!"_ —she realizes what they had meant. "Will you not leave for the sake of the skydwellers? I do not wish to fight you, but your power has already caused this island to suffer misfortune."

"Ugh! Don't you ever get tired of saying the same thing over and over again?!"

Athena shakes her head. "If perhaps there is a chance you will finally understand this time when I repeat myself, then that is a chance I am willing to take. Please, cease your torment upon these skydwellers—"

"Hah?" A sneer comes to Medusa. "Anyway, I saw it, you know. Those skydwellers were afraid of you too even though you saved them!"

Athena blinks. She hadn't realized Medusa had seen everything that happened in town. Had Medusa really been that close for her to witness? Medusa's smirk widens as Athena ruminates over the event.

"The skydwellers fear what they cannot comprehend. Of course they would be afraid of me, I had not the chance to explain to them who I am before I was forced to display my power."

"And you're still going to defend them?! Skydwellers are so weak!" Medusa's face twists back into a snarl as she hisses. "Why?! They've treated you like dirt! You think they deserve to have your protection?"

Athena blinks again. Medusa is… oddly heated about this issue. Perhaps this is why she terrorizes the mortals? But, that is a weak reason, for the strong to bully the weak.

It had not been the first time she has had skydwellers afraid of her. She understands it—primal beasts are known far and wide as living weapons of the Astrals, of remnants of a war long passed. Mere mortals, ones who live in such a harsh world with monsters and the like that attack them on whims, have every right to fear them.

Thus, this is precisely why Athena's duty is so important.

"Regardless of how I am treated, it does not change my duty. The skydwellers are in need of aid and so I will lend my help."

"But you've _seen_ them! They're afraid of us! They act like _we're_ monsters too! And you still say you want to protect them?! Haven't you ever felt like they don't deserve any of it?!"

Athena… cannot say she hasn't considered this. It would be a lie to say she did not think about this at all in all the years she has been alive. In all her long years of service, she has seen many things. Skydwellers can live such beautiful lives… and also just as easily, drown in their darker vices.

Either way… that is not for Athena to decide. Her purpose has already been laid out for her since the beginning of her creation, and that is to protect the weak and innocent, those who cannot defend themselves.

"... and I will still continue to do my duty," Athena only says. She knows that answer will not make Medusa happy—as she suspects, Medusa is baring her fangs at her again.

"And you think that's fair?! You think that sort of thing is justice?!"

"Justice…" Athena shakes her head again. "What I would consider justice is what you may not, and I can already see we will clash on these ideals. I am more than willing to converse more with you on the topic if you wish, but I merely cannot show mercy to those that dare to disrupt order and peace."

"... ugh. Who would even want to talk to _you?_ Nothing but boring, stuffy talk!" She makes a face, her tongue sticking out as if she's tasted something revolting. "I don't even know why I tried to talk with you. Everything you keep saying makes me mad."

Oh… Medusa had actually been trying to talk with her? Even despite the scowl Medusa is sending her way, Athena latches onto her words. "I appreciate the conversation, and I am more than willing to continue if you wish… if you will leave the skydwellers alone first."

Athena can _feel_ the exact moment Medusa's temper flares again. From behind, Medusa's tail is thrashing furiously in the air. Athena can now recognize this as a signal for Medusa's growing agitation, combined with the glare she sends Athena's way.

"Hell no! Listening to you pisses me off _so_ much right now! Even worse than Baal!"

"It is my duty to stop you—"

"There you go saying that again and again! Is that all you know how to say?! You've wasted enough of my time!"

"I do not wish to fight you! But if you wish to never see me again, you only need to cease your troublemaking," Athena tells her.

… and a strange pang goes through her in that moment as soon as she finishes her words.

Athena blinks in surprise. What… what is this feeling? Why does she feel… uneasy? She has spoken these words several times already but why does speaking it _this_ time make her feel… melancholic? What _is_ this feeling? She has never felt like this before.

But she cannot dwell on that, when Medusa's eyes are already flashing. Athena's shield is already in front of her, deflecting the power of petrification. If she had been any slower though, she would have been turned to stone.

"I'm not going to take orders from you!" Once more, Medusa charges at her with her giant snake, both of their fangs bared. Athena readies her spear, hand tightening on her shield as the flames heed her call.

And yet, even as she feels the compulsion of battle set over her, her mind is troubled.

_Is there no other way?_

_Is conflict inevitable between us?_

_Will we never…_

* * *

"... you again?" is all Medusa says to Athena once she comes closer.

Athena shakes her head, raising her hands to show she means no harm. "I have no will to fight you, but it still remains my duty to—"

"Duty, duty, duty!" Medusa interrupts with a hiss. "That's all you ever harp on about! Can't you say anything else!? All you've been doing is chasing me around! Aren't you tired of this already?!"

"It is your responsibility to use your powers in a way that doesn't harm others. Can you not terrorize the skydwellers with your power? What have they ever done to you? Please, I only ask that you—"

"Argh! Just seeing you already put me in a foul mood! Just hurry up and get out of my sight already!" The giant snake lunges in front of Medusa, eyes flashing.

Athena's shield is ready in an instant. It all feels like a pattern at this point: Athena will try to reason with her but Medusa will always be beyond words. Medusa will grow agitated, and Athena will be forced to defend herself. Then, Athena will be forced to battle with her until one of them forcibly yields.

The cycle repeats. For decades, this is what they have always done. This routine is familiar to her now.

And yet… something inside of Athena starts to hurt. When she places a hand on her chest, there are no physical wounds. Thus, it cannot be an injury. But, what is it? What is this strange feeling inside of her? In all her centuries of living, she has never felt this either. Is it perhaps some sort of strange defect from her creation? What is this?

It all has to do with Medusa. She has never felt this way until she met Medusa. Something strange is happening to her. Perhaps Medusa might know, but… as they are now, initiating a civil dialogue between the two of them seems impossible.

Athena has always loathed fighting. Does Medusa thrive off of it? No, she never looks like she's having fun either.

Why must they always come to blows every time? Why does Medusa simply not listen to her?

Must Athena change her words instead? What must Athena do to quell Medusa's temper? Will Medusa ever change her ways?

Athena has heard of a strange skydweller adage, that the more one fights with someone else, the more they come to an understanding. And yet, for all the decades between the two of them, Athena feels that neither of them are even coming close to that.

How… will they be able to understand each other?

"Don't you ever just listen to yourself? Always going on about your duty, but you can think up stuff on your own, can't you?! Is this really what you want to be doing?!" Medusa shouts at her at another encounter.

"This is not about what I want to do, but this is what I _must_ do!" Athena shouts back.

"Your purpose! And yet, you keep coming after me! Why can't you just leave me alone?!"

"Because you won't listen to me!"

In hindsight, arguing like this makes the both of them look childish. It is easier to figure out what she should have said and what else she could have done, but in this moment, Athena had felt frustration bubbling underneath her usual patience.

_This is not what we should always be doing!_

"I don't want to fight you! Please, stand down!" Athena tries again.

"I've already heard that so many times, and yet you still keep coming! _You_ first!"

Athena narrowly avoids the crater forming from the ground, lunging to the side to do so. "Will you truly not believe me? I only want to be—"

Is… is something like that fine to say? Is… would… would she even…

"I want to be your—" but just as Athena speaks, the ground underneath cracks open. That single moment of hesitation is all Medusa needs, flying over her. Caught off guard, Athena stumbles before losing her footing, stumbling backward into the new chasm. She instinctively looks up just as Medusa's eyes flash right at her.

_Ah._

When Athena finally breaks free from her petrification hours later, she finds herself on steady ground, next to where the crater Medusa had made. She had been falling… then it had been Medusa who placed her here? Other times when Athena had been caught unaware and petrified, she hadn't been falling into a hole, at least.

There is no one else here. There's a hoot—Glafkos comes back to her, landing on her shoulder to nip her ear as if to make sure she's really flesh before he trills. She scratches under his chin, sighing to herself.

Athena had been turned to stone and though she is flesh now, it feels as if her heart is still trapped in that prison, with how heavy it feels right now.

"Do you think I'm being foolish?" Athena asks him. Glafkos hoots and looks up at the sky. He steps closer, nuzzling the top of her head with his. Glafkos' presence has always been a comfort to her, and his subtle encouragement invigorates her.

"But I still want to try," Athena murmurs, looking out toward the sky.

* * *

A year passes without Athena hearing of Medusa's exploits. Perhaps Medusa has had a change of heart. A wonderful development that would be, if it had happened.

Another year passes.

A third year passes.

Soon, a decade passes, and Athena has heard no news of where Medusa might even be.

Perhaps Medusa had actually listened to her? Given how headstrong and stubborn Medusa is, though, that seems highly unlikely.

Then…

Athena looks up at the stars. "Did she get attacked and forced back into her core?" she voices aloud.

No… that seems unlikely either. Medusa is a powerful adversary who can put up a relentless assault with her fearsome power. While Athena has never had her shield broken before, not everyone has her defensive capabilities.

If she _had_ been stopped… she must have been caught completely off guard. The giant snake she keeps around, ah… what was its name, she remembers Medusa had called it by a name—Medusiana! Yes, Medusiana is also always watching for threats as well. Between the two of them, there is absolutely no way for them to be ambushed.

Then… is Medusa hiding? Or perhaps she might be better at disguising her acts of terror?

No, that does not feel right either. Medusa is loud and brash so she would never resort to underhanded and sneaky tactics, even if to avoid Athena. And while she has never listened to Athena, she has also never run away either when Athena confronts her.

Then… what _has_ happened to her? There are many possibilities out there, and none are pleasant for Athena to entertain—

Oh.

Athena blinks, coming to a new realization amidst all her thoughts.

Medusa… is the longest being she has ever known.

In her long, long, _long_ life, she… does not know anyone else as long as she has known Medusa. It makes sense; they are both primal beasts, their lifespans extend far beyond that of mortals. Where the skydwellers Athena had saved in the last century are now gone, Medusa is still here.

It does not even feel that long, just only half a century, really. Merely only a drop in an ocean, as Athena had heard it described once. That is to say, it is not as if Athena _knows_ Medusa… but she thinks she has enough of an idea of Medusa's personality. While she does not listen to Athena's words, there is no malicious intent behind her actions. On the occasions where Athena becomes turned to stone, Medusa had only stopped to gloat before moving on, never harming Athena afterward… and even made sure she wasn't in any sort of immediate danger after breaking out of her petrification.

Even so… it is still Athena's duty to stop her.

"Duty…"

Athena is naive enough to think that there might one day truly be peace across the skydoms. She is not so naive to think that peace can come easily in a year, or ten, or fifty, or even five hundred. It will be a long, long, long time before that can happen. Until then, she will continue to travel, to safeguard the weak.

If there could be a day where she could resolve conflict with only words…

Perhaps, this is why she chases after Medusa, why she continues to try time after time, again and again. If she can one day convince Medusa, the longest of her pursuits yet, to cease her rampage with her words, then she will be able to find an end to any conflict with enough mediation.

And… if that day were to come… perhaps… they can both look at each other and talk to one another as…

But will there ever come a day for that? Can there ever be a time where they can come to an understanding together? What is Athena missing for her to appeal to one so willful as Medusa?

… it is not as if Athena can ask, and with the way it seems as if Medusa is now keeping out of trouble, it is not as if Athena will have any chances either.

Oh!

The thought of not being able to see Medusa anymore—

Why is she suddenly filled with a sense of gloom? Not being able to see Medusa anymore… does it make her sad? But why would it make her sad? They've been adversaries since they've met… and surely Medusa does not share her feelings.

Athena places a hand over her heart. Once again, there are no injuries on her… and it hurts inside as if there is. How strange! What is this feeling? Is it melancholy? Loneliness? Sorrow?

… perhaps all of them.

Athena looks back up at the stars, searching deep in her thoughts… and remains with no answers to any of her questions. Something shoots across the dark sky—a star? Athena has never seen a sight like that before. A fascinating thing to witness, she thinks. Now, she wonders if Medusa is looking up at the same night sky as she is right now, if she had seen that same sight Athena had.

A small part of her wishes she did.

* * *

The winds today are cool against Athena's heated skin. Of course, with Athena being a fire primal, regulating her own temperature is an easy task, but feeling the cool breeze is refreshing too.

There comes the sound of someone sneezing. When Athena turns her head, it is a skydweller, wrapping his arms around himself as he hurries toward the inside of the ship. She can hear him grumbling about the cold.

Athena turns her attention back out toward the sky, watching the clouds move past them as the Grandcypher soars by. It is one sensation to experience when she is flying with her own power, it is another to stand here aboard another vessel and feel it happening.

Fascinating, Athena thinks. A new experience she thought she would never experience.

"There you are," a new voice calls out.

Athena turns her head and finds someone sauntering toward her. It is a woman in a dark dress, cut lower than Athena has ever seen, her brown hair whipping around her from the force of the wind.

But Athena can _feel_ her presence: this is another primal beast.

"I had heard they found another primal beast… so I went to see who it was." The primal places her elbows on the railings and looks at Athena up and down. She has a smile at the corner of her lips. "I'm Rosetta."

Athena can't help the feeling that she is… being judged, scrutinized. For what, she isn't sure, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of malicious intent she can sense. She nods her head. "It is nice to meet you, Rosetta. I am Athena."

Something about Rosetta's speech strikes Athena as odd. "You've said… another? You are not the only one aboard this ship?" She remembers Vyrn and Lyria had mentioned that they were used to primal beasts but Athena had taken that to mean they had encountered other primal beasts along their journey. To think there were _others_ also part of the crew as well... how strange a crew to accept them! Somehow, though, the thought also warms her slightly. Their talk of being used to primal beasts weren't for show, then.

"There's a surprising amount of us here. Even the shipwright for the Grandcypher is a primal beast himself," Rosetta adds as she stretches her arms over her head.

"Oh." Interesting, Athena thinks. She has certainly made the right call traveling with this crew then.

"If I may ask, what brings you here?" Rosetta regards her out of the corner of her eyes. The expression on her face is friendly, harmless, but Athena thinks she is being watched carefully instead. It would make sense for another primal to be wary of her.

"I am searching for another primal beast, one with the power to turn people to stone with her eyes," Athena says.

"A primal beast with the power to turn people to stone?" Rosetta seems surprised, placing a hand on her chin. She looks as if she is going to speak again before she shakes her head. Athena does not press her. "I… will make sure to keep an eye out for you."

"Thank you. She has already managed to elude me for decades."

"My! You're rather tenacious, chasing after the same girl for so many years. Some people would love to have that sort of devotion."

Athena does not understand exactly what Rosetta is trying to say. She shakes her head instead. "I am merely only doing my duty."

"Your duty… is that the task the Astrals gave to you?"

"Yes. Did they not assign you a task as well?"

"I was deployed directly in the War but I became grievously injured and forced to bond with an island to heal properly." Rosetta shrugs. "Maybe that broke whatever task they gave me. I don't have any particular inclinations the rest of our brethren seem to."

"Ah," Athena says with a nod. Many of their brethren had been harmed in the War, some of them still recovering today in their cores wherever they have fallen. Athena looks back out toward the sky. "Do you think about trying to find that mission again?"

Rosetta sends her a sharp look before it softens, and she sighs. She joins Athena in staring out toward the sky. "I don't see why I have a reason to. We were created as tools and weapons but we've evolved outside of that role. I don't believe our original creators had intended for that, but they're gone and left us here. What would be the point to that?"

"Is that fine, then?" Athena asks, her voice a small murmur. "We were created for a purpose… but do you think leaving that mission behind is… fine?"

"We all have our own personalities, just as the skydwellers do. Don't you think we should also learn to have our own motivations too?"

"Motivations…" Athena places a hand on her chest, next to where her heart beats. Immortal as they are, they continue to breathe and live, almost similar to the skydwellers. Were it not for Athena's powers and the compulsion to battle to the very end no matter what her own outcome, she might even be able to pass as a mortal themselves. Were it not… for her purpose…

"... I have wondered sometimes, what exactly was the intent behind my creation." Athena starts, looking down at her hands. "All I am certain is of my duty, to go against those who would dare disrupt order and peace... but did our creators intend for me to watch the peace of the skydwellers, or to become their enforcer had they won the War?"

The thought of being the latter… Athena is not sure if she can stomach it.

"Warfare is the only knowledge I am certain about, and yet, I abhor it. Is this how they made me? Or is this a facet of my own personality? I find myself asking these questions many times."

"If the Astrals came back today, would you obey them?" Rosetta asks her.

Athena ruminates on this. If they came back, would they force all the primal beasts they had abandoned to listen to them? Her purpose dictates that she should fight against them… but can she do that? Will she be allowed to?

Everything in this sky… everything she has sought to protect in all her centuries of living is here. If she were forced to destroy all that—

A sick feeling runs through Athena. It makes her grimace and bring a hand up to her heart. She had told Djeeta and the others that she would never turn her spear on them as long as this ship was under her protection… she would never be able to do that. To ruin it all!

"No," Athena finally answers, her voice firm. "Unless they wish for peace, but I doubt they will if they come back." She looks over at Rosetta. "Would you?"

Rosetta only smiles faintly at her. "We might be more alike than we realize." Her smile turns wistful, almost sorrowful even. "I can't fathom going back to that after learning so much about the skydwellers. There are important people to me in this sky, including the people in this crew. I will fight anything to keep them safe."

Important to Rosetta… Athena thinks about this. Will this crew become important to her? If she continues to travel with them, then most likely they will. But most of them are mortals; in just a few decades, some of them will pass on, and in a century, all of them will be gone. The lives of skydwellers blink so easily out of existence as quick as they come. Would Rosetta still feel the same once everyone in this crew is gone?

And yet, already, the thought of them passing on… makes her sad. She can see this crew, how much potential they have, how much more they can do. She wants to see them to their end. Something inside of her tells her that if she were to follow this crew, there might be some possible way to find the peace she desires.

Companions… perhaps, it would not be so bad to have mortal ones to remember.

"When this crew is finished with its mission, what will you do, Rosetta?" Athena finds herself asking. Rosetta's eyes widen slightly before her surprise disappears just as quickly.

"A good question. Maybe someone as old as me should settle down?" Rosetta laughs. A hint of a smile tugs at her lips as she looks at Athena with a tilt of her head. There's something in Rosetta's expression that make Athena think there's some sort of underlying meaning, but she cannot figure it out. Just as quickly, the look disappears from Rosetta, who looks back out toward the sky. "Well, if I must be honest, I hadn't thought that far ahead. Some skydwellers only choose to think about the present, and I suppose I'm taking a page out of their book."

Athena takes in this answer, and thinks to herself. What _is_ it that she wants to do for the future? If there were ever a time where her purpose would be fulfilled—

"What do _you_ think about doing, Athena?" Rosetta returns the question back to her, unknowing that it is the very same question Athena is pondering right now.

"That primal… she had asked me many times what I wanted to do." Athena shakes her head. She has been thinking about this and it feels like she's been flying around in circles. Never has Athena found herself in such a conundrum before. "I have my duty; I cannot give that up! But beyond that… I am trying to find that out so that I may tell her my answer."

"Do you think you're any closer to finding it?" Rosetta leans against the railing again, her hair blowing out behind her. "I mean, you've been flying around the skies for so long, what do you think of all the things that have happened in all those years?"

"Interesting," Athena answers. Then, she falls silent, ruminating upon herself again. For some reason, it feels like… _something_ is missing. The more she thinks about it, the more it feels like she is getting further away from the answer. A strange uneasiness comes over her, at not being able to figure out her sudden displeasure at her answer.

Perhaps Rosetta seems to sense her sudden shift in mood because Athena catches her glancing over at Athena with a curious eye. "Maybe, it's being in these skies for so long that changes us?"

"Being in these skies…" she murmurs, looking out again.

What _is_ it… that she is seeking for in these skies? When she thinks of it… she imagines Medusa, imagines the two of them looking at each other, imagines them talking with smiles on their faces… what a dream it would be. Compared to everything, it seems… mundane, almost silly, to desire something so simple as this.

And if she were to ever have that… would there be anything else beyond that? If she could stand side by side with Medusa as a companion… would there be anything else she would wish for?

Athena continues to watch the clouds pass them as they soar by. Off in the horizon, there is no end that she can see. _Is_ there an end? Perhaps there is, perhaps there isn't. And perhaps… if there ever came a day for Athena to finish her duty, she might want to try to find if there is.

It sounds like a foolish plan. Were Athena to think of this five hundred years ago, she would never entertain the thought.

And yet, as she stands here, as the Athena of now, under the blue skies she has protected for so long, she can't help but think… it would not be bad to chase after eternity itself.

* * *

Athena sees Medusiana first before she sees Medusa. The giant snake—ah, no, she's taken on a smaller form now, to fit on board with the Grandcypher—nudges her leg before slithering her way up. She ends with herself wrapped around Athena's shoulders, her tongue flicking out and tickling Athena's skin.

"Hello," Athena says, still slightly bewildered at Medusiana's sudden appearance. She does not mind though she still thinks it a little strange how quick Medusiana has warmed up to her, almost literally. She'd always been ready to defend Medusa at any cost from Athena, and now she's here, curling up against Athena and acting as if she's seeing an old friend. Animals have always seemed to like her even if she knows that some of them are only merely seeking her out for the warmth she radiates as a fire primal.

"Hey!" Medusa comes running up a moment later, frowning as she looks at Medusiana. "You can't just do that!"

"I don't mind," Athena quickly reassures. She reaches up with her finger, waiting for Medusiana to flick her tongue against it before moving forward to lightly scratch under her maw with her fingertip. She has learned snakes sense this way, and she has noticed even Medusa does it on occasion as well. "Glafkos enjoys this as well."

Medusa opens her mouth before she thinks better of it, settling for pouting instead. "You're already spoiling her, you know that?"

Athena looks up. "Am I?"

Medusa makes a face at her. "Anyway, what are you doing right now?"

"Now?" Athena absently continues to scratch at Medusiana's chin. "I was watching the skydwellers below," she gestures to where the workers are on the dock.

"Them?" Medusa sticks her tongue out. "They're so boring to watch! I think you'd have more fun watching leaves blow off a tree or something."

"Boring? Is it? I thought they were fascinating. And did you not say to watch the skydwellers to learn more about them?"

"Boring," Medusa says, drawling out the first syllable of the word. "How could you think there's anything interesting there?"

"Well…" Athena leans back over the railing of the ship to look down. From up here on the ship, the mortals down below seem small but there are many of them on the dock, all working as they haul and move around cargo on and off the ship. "I like seeing how efficient they can be," she says. It is not unlike warriors getting into formation for a phalanx, she thinks.

Medusa doesn't say anything, and when Athena glances over at her, she finds Medusa with a stony face. "Yeah, I'm _not_ going to do that."

"But no one said you had to?"

"That's—that's not what I meant!"

Athena is confused. "What did you mean then?"

Medusa opens her mouth—

"Snake Girl! What are you do—oh! You're with Shield Lady too."

The two of them turn around to see Vyrn, Lyria, and Djeeta there, looking at them curiously. There's a piece of parchment in Djeeta's hands.

"You guys busy right now?" Vyrn asks, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"What is it?" Athena says just as Medusa also speaks.

"No, we're busy." Medusa tries to shoo him away. "Important primal business!"

"Important?" Athena blinks. "We were only sitting here talking and watching the dockworkers."

"Wha—don't tell them that!"

"But is it not the truth?"

"You—argh!" Medusa crosses her arms and huffs to herself. Meanwhile, the skydwellers share a look with each other. They look more amused than should be with this situation. Athena… is not sure what to make of this.

"Are you upset, Medusa?" she asks instead.

"What!" Medusa whips her head to her, scowling before she lets out a deep breath. Her tail, wagging furiously in the air earlier, lowers back down to the ground, thumping the wood periodically instead. "No, I'm not," she says though her tone is sullen, her eyes darting back and forth between the others and Athena.

Hm. Interesting. She hasn't seen this sort of reaction from Medusa yet.

"If you guys are busy though, we don't wanna keep you." Vyrn waves his claw. "We'll just ask someone else—"

"I _didn't_ say that!" Medusa interrupts. Athena blinks again.

"But you _had_ said—"

"That was before! This is now!" Oh, Medusa's tail is thrashing about again. She's growing agitated.

"... okay," Athena only says, unsure of what to make of Medusa's strange moods.

"Can't believe you can keep up with her, Shield Lady," Vyrn says with a wry smile.

 _Is she, though?_ Athena wants to ask, nor is she entirely sure of what Vyrn might even be speaking of. Medusa seems to be fuming even more now. How can Athena calm her down?

"Anyway!" Medusa's sharp voice cuts through them. " _What_ do you guys want?"

"We need to get some supplies in town, but Siero asked us to check in on her with a mission, so we were hoping you two could help us with it," Djeeta answers. She claps her hands together and looks up at them, her expression slightly pleading. "Please?"

Medusa crosses her arms and holds up her chin. "Hmph! Since you asked so nicely, I _guess_ I can take some time out of my schedule to help you!"

"There's that attitude we love," Vyrn says with a roll of his eyes though Lyria's smile helps soften his blunt words. Medusa hisses at him, with some of her snakes forming from her hair joining her to hiss at him too, not that it seems to bother him because he only makes a face at her.

Athena reaches out to take the parchment from Djeeta, along with a pouch of rupies she hands over. Athena looks down at the list. It looks normal enough: weapon oil, whetstones, amongst other things… and cat food? Athena squints at that one, but if this is what the Captain insists, then she will not ask questions. "This is... what you need, then?"

"Yeah," Djeeta says with a nod. "If you don't mind!"

"Of course not," Athena replies. "I am always willing to be of service."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Djeeta smiles gratefully at them. "I feel bad for just springing this so suddenly on you, though."

Medusa waves her hand. "Whatever. Just remember you'll owe us!"

Djeeta only laughs and gives her a thumbs-up before leaving, Lyria following after her. Vyrn looks back and forth between Medusa and Athena before he grins.

"Anyway! You're not going to get much people watching done just by standing on the ship so you might as well go into town!" is all he says as he leaves with the others.

"Wha—I was going to do it in the first place!" Medusa shouts after him, looking more like she wants to chase after him but she stays in place. Instead, she glowers after him, muttering under her breath. "Stupid lizard, who does he think he is?!"

"He's Vyrn," Athena says.

"Don't give me that. Ugh, whatever. Let's just go get their stuff." She whirls around to Athena, a smirk on her face. "And you'll get to see some more interesting things the skydwellers get up to!"

And with that, Athena finds herself following after Medusa.

Athena's eyes are roaming around, taking in all the various sights of the mortals working. Medusiana is still on her shoulders but when they get closer to town, she slithers off and returns to the Grandcypher.

"She wants to stay up and sunbathe," Medusa explains before Athena can ask. "Anyway, I don't get why they had to ask _us_ instead. Aren't there others around to run their errands for them?" she grumbles after.

"I believe that means this is how much they trust us, don't you think?"

Medusa stops her walking to look at her. She seems exasperated for some reason. "If that's what _you_ wanna think…" she only says but when she continues walking, there's a noticeable skip to her step and a hint of a smile trying to form on her lips now. Athena rushes to keep up with her, feeling invigorated herself at seeing Medusa's new mood.

They go through the items on the list as they move through the town. If Athena must be honest, she's not sure of where to even find some of these items, nor what their use would be for the skydwellers, but Medusa seems to already know where to go, tugging Athena along with her to the various stores and corners of the town. All the while, Athena makes sure to observe everything going on around her as Medusa had told her.

It is almost strange to Athena, trying to force herself to see the skydwellers as they go about their daily lives rather than immediately resorting to thinking about how she might shield them if danger were to strike. Her mind wanders to looking at the walls that surround the town give them their protection, how she might bolster them to provide a better fortification—no, she cannot be thinking that right now. She sees the guards up on the bare walls— _placing spiked fencing will fend off monsters that can fly_ —and has to see themselves as just that. If anything were to happen, though, at least her and Medusa are here to protect the town.

There's still one question Athena wants to ask though, and there might not be a better time than now when they're merely strolling through the town.

"By the way, Medusa... I've noticed the crew seems rather familiar with you," Athena comments as they walk around town.

"Hah! They better be, I've been traveling—I mean!" Medusa freezes up suddenly and shakes her head, scowling to herself. "I've been giving them the honor of my presence for so long already!"

"... ah? You've been traveling with this crew for a while already?" Athena had been under the impression Medusa had only joined shortly beforehand.

"Probably…" Medusa looks down at her hand. "I'd say over a year now? I-I mean, not that I'm keeping track! Just teaching them to show us the proper respect, that's all!"

"Respect?"

"Yeah! They're way too chummy for skydwellers," Medusa mutters, a pout on her face. "A-anyway! What's your point?"

"I was merely thinking to myself that you seem to have…" what is the word Athena is trying to think of here… oh! "Changed?"

"Changed?" Medusa turns to her, frowning. " _Me?_ What do you mean?"

"You seem… more willing to listen. Your temper was always so quick to flare, and it always felt like it would always grow worse each time we met."

"Wha—" Medusa scowls at her before she pauses. Her severe expression eventually turns milder, now to a frown, though Athena can still see her tail swinging back and forth in the air in quick succession, a sign of her agitation.

"Like that," Athena comments, her eyes following Medusa's tail as it wags. She has seen this many times, but it feels different now. "You feel… hm, calmer, perhaps?"

"What do you mean like that?!" Medusa makes a face at her. "And anyway! That was because you kept chasing me around for so long! Of course I was always getting mad!"

"I was wondering if being around the crew had helped you—oh." Another thought comes to Athena before she can finish her current one. She's not one to leave her words hanging, but there is a need to voice this thought. "Does it upset you to be around me, then?"

"H-huh?! What's with these questions all of a sudden?!" Medusa seems defensive, uncomfortable. Athena cannot help but take it as confirmation, bowing her head in apology.

"It does make you upset then."

"Wha—no! I never said that! Listen! I mean, I _get_ it, I was messing with the skydwellers too," Medusa grumbles but she continues before Athena can speak, "but other times I was just trying to look for my sisters, and the dumb skydwellers got scared of me and wouldn't leave me alone." She looks away with a huff. "S-so of course I was always annoyed."

"... oh." Though Medusa's reactions and expression confuses her, Athena finds herself uplifted by Medusa's words.

"And I know you were just trying to do your own thing too!" Medusa shakes her head. "So I'm not mad. How could I be? That's like getting mad at a dog because it barked. That's just what it does!"

"You consider me to be like a dog, then?" A strange comparison.

"No! Well—" Medusa pauses, thinking to herself. "Hm, maybe. I mean, you don't really know how to do anything else, right? That's why I have to teach you!"

Athena blinks at her. She… isn't sure how to feel about this comparison, but it does sound… rather apt. There are many things Athena wants to learn but she would surely overwhelm herself with trying to dive in on where to start. It is a good thing that Medusa is here to help her.

Medusa reaches out and tugs on her arm, pulling her in the direction of the town. "Anyway! Let's just find the rest of the stuff!"

It takes them a good part of the day to get through most of the list. They're still missing some items, but Athena had heard that they would continue to stay at this town for another day. Perhaps it would be better to stretch that out for tomorrow? They hadn't mentioned _urgently_ needing them…

"I mean, we got tons of stuff already anyway," Medusa says with a grimace, looking down at all the bags Athena herself is holding. "You sure you're okay with holding all that?"

"Don't worry, this is more than fine," Athena says. Even with all the bags held between both her hands, it is not really much. She's hardly breaking a sweat. It would be better for Medusa to be the one to guide them around, in any case.

"... convenient," Medusa mutters, shaking her head. "Anyway, let's take a break before heading back."

"A break?" Athena wants to ask why they need a break but Medusa is already tugging her along the path, to an empty bench just slightly off to the side of the road. She thinks even if she objects, Medusa won't listen to her anyway.

"We deserve it!" Medusa says, grinning to herself as she sits down and pats the space next to her. "C'mon, just for a little bit. And this is a good opportunity too!" she gestures out toward the streets, "we can watch the skydwellers here."

"Watch them…" Athena murmurs as she sits down. She can see some sense in Medusa's words, but the day is also winding down. There are fewer skydwellers on the streets now compared to earlier. In fact, the ones she can see are hurrying about instead. Curious, Athena thinks. Are they trying to get home, or make it to a restaurant or store before it closes for the day? She always feels as if they are rushing around.

"Well, haven't you just sat in a town and watched the mortals go on?" Medusa asks. She does not seem bothered by the lack of people around. In fact, when Athena looks at her, Medusa seems more like she's trying to enjoy the soft breeze blowing through the air instead, keeping her face turned up.

"I… cannot say I have." Athena shakes her head. "There is always turmoil to quell. To let myself stay and indulge in one place when there is another possibility that another town is under attack… I could not bear the thought."

"And this is why you're like this," Medusa mutters. "Listen, skydwellers aren't as fragile as you think they are. They can handle themselves just fine for a few days."

"But there are towns without warriors, without aid to be given. Am I to leave them alone?"

"You think you can go out and fix everything? What if you stop one goblin attack, and then it lets the thieves come out of hiding the day afterward? What are you going to do, go back and take care of the thieves as well?"

"I…" Athena looks down at her hands. "All I have known is my own duty. I know very little outside of it. To tell me that following my own duty this whole time has been folly on my end—"

"I'm _not_ saying that!" Medusa makes a face. "Maybe. I'm just saying, _you_ gotta find other things to do too. Beyond your purpose."

"... I do?" Athena has never heard of this. Her purpose—it is exactly why she was born, was it not? To not fulfill her purpose, what would be the meaning to her existence? Is it possible for her to find something else to do outside of that?

"Otherwise, you're gonna run yourself into the ground! We were created as weapons, and got forced to fight in that dumb war! And then we got ditched and left behind!" Medusa makes a face, hissing slightly. "Then the skydwellers hated us for a while!"

"Do you hate them, Medusa?" Now that Athena thinks about it, she has never asked Medusa this, why she has always tormented the skydwellers so. The mortals still revere them… just as some also fear them. But, there are still some that treat them as… equals.

Medusa opens her mouth before she closes it. She looks as if she's thinking before she shakes her head. "I think I used to. They pushed us back in the War and my sisters…" She shakes her head again, as if trying to clear her head. "But that's a long time ago and… I don't now, I guess. I just think they're funny when you mess with them." She looks out over the town in front of her, "I suppose they aren't all that bad."

"N-not that I care what they think! We're primal beasts! We're stronger than them, and live way longer! So I just want to see what they do in their free time!" Medusa quickly rushes out. Her face is red for some reason, as if she's embarrassed, though for what reason, Athena doesn't know.

"It certainly does help to pass the time," Athena says. "But if you do anything to trouble them, I will be forced to—"

"You don't have to keep reminding me!" Medusa scowls at her. "And you'll probably start crying again if I do, and that's more annoying to deal with."

Despite Medusa's words, Athena finds herself smiling. To think that one day, Medusa would actually listen to her and stop her terrorizing ways upon the skydwellers.

Athena's eyes roam over the town again before she looks up at the sky. After so many centuries, it is still the same sky she has known. All the skydwellers she had met and known back then are all gone, new ones to take their place in the walk of life. And still, Athena will continue to protect them, just as she had done centuries ago.

"It's getting late now," Medusa finally says after they've rested for a while. She hops off the bench, looking up at the now darkening sky before turning her eyes back down to Athena. "Come on, let's go back. We gotta bring the stuff back for everyone."

Athena jolts, blinking to herself. Something strange had happened when she heard those words. She's… not sure. It's odd… but it does not feel bad. Medusa is looking at her strangely so she quickly grabs the bags and rises to her feet as well.

Oh. She realizes what it is now.

She likes the sound of those words.

"Let's go back," Athena repeats, a smile on her face as she follows after Medusa back to the Grandcypher.

* * *

"There's something going on in this town, we gotta go!"

Dashing across the deck, Medusa all but runs into Athena the moment she finally appears up on the deck. She had been caught up in some conversation with the others of the crew, particularly in training and weapons. It is the only knowledge Athena is sure of so she's more than willing to converse about it. Thus, she hadn't realized how much time had passed until she came up and realized the sun was already nearing its peak in the sky.

Athena looks down at where Medusa is, clearly impatient and waiting for Athena's answer. When she sees how eager Medusa is, what other answer can Athena give?

"Okay," she says, and the grin that lights up Medusa's face makes Athena smile too—and then she's already being dragged down the gangway toward town.

Just as Medusa said, there _is_ something going on, but neither of them seem to have any idea of what it might be. All they know is that there seems to be a larger than normal gathering of the skydwellers here, for whatever reason.

"The others already left," Medusa says as they stroll through town. "You took _forever_ coming up, I thought I was going to have to find you myself!"

"Oh… could you not have gone with the others?" She looks down at Medusa, who seems frozen on the spot. "You did not have to wait for me."

"No! That's not it!" Medusa immediately blurts out. "Don't get the wrong idea, it wasn't like _I_ was waiting for you! Just seeing all these mortals here was for you too! You've never seen so many all at once doing mortal things right?!"

"Oh." Athena nods. "I understand. Thank you for thinking about me, Medusa."

"I said I wasn't—oh, forget it." Medusa grumbles something under her breath but with the noise of the crowd, Athena can barely hear it. Strangely, her face seems red as well—but Medusa is already wandering further ahead, and Athena rushes to catch up with her.

Whatever the reason for the gathering of the skydwellers, Athena will not complain about it, especially when it gives them the chance to go out and walk amongst them. The throngs of people make it easy to lose track of Medusa but Athena is determined to keep her eyes on Medusa.

They wander through the streets. Over the noise of the crowd, Athena can hear hawkers and vendors shouting their wares, waving and pointing at them. Athena would like to stop to look through some of their things, but Medusa doesn't seem interested, by the way she only seems to glance at it before moving on. It must not mean much to her. The thick crowds of people also make it hard for Athena to—

Athena stops in place, eyes blinking when she sees a particular _something_ on a table, the object almost gleaming to her even if it is covered by the shade of the tarp placed over the vendor. She walks closer, squinting at the object.

It is… a round object—oh! A coin, Athena realizes, or perhaps something circular resembling a coin, or perhaps something broken off. There are some slight jagged edges to it to suggest it might have been improperly broken off. Athena reaches out, lifting the coin and inspecting it. Just as she thought… this insignia is—

"Hey!" Medusa all but runs into her, a frown on her face. "I turned around and you weren't there!" She looks down at the table of wares. "If you said you wanted to stop and look, I would've stopped too, you know."

"My apologies. I will do that next time," Athena says.

"Well? What's got you interested?" Medusa asks, trying to peer at Athena's hand. "You wanna collect artifacts or something?"

"Are you interested in that?" The merchant, a draph man with a toothy grin, asks them. "It was excavated a few days ago by some scholars and they didn't know what to do with this piece. They say it belongs to some powerful ancient kingdom that lived thousands of years ago!"

"Powerful… ancient kingdom?" A frown comes to Athena's face. She looks down at it again. Once more, it sparks familiarity… and she would not say it was millennia ago.

"What is it?" Medusa asks, looking up at Athena's pensive face. By now, the merchant has turned his attention away though Athena can see one of his assistants keeping a close eye on the two of them.

A knowing smirk comes to Medusa's face. "Oh, you know this, don't you?"

"It does seem a bit familiar to me," Athena says as she thinks to herself. Was it decades ago? No, too early. Centuries, then? But how long? "Perhaps… almost three hundred years ago. There was a kingdom I had come across with this similar insignia…" She looks back up at the merchant, recalling his story before looking back down. "They were not a powerful kingdom… I would say it was akin more to a large community of smaller groups of people? Villages? I am not sure how to describe them in skydweller terms. But I remember there had been a surge in monster attacks and I had arrived not long after one of their worse ones."

Athena puts the coin back down. "He had said it had been excavated… then that same group of people are gone. They seemed resilient, I had thought they would..."

"Anything could've happened though. Skydwellers don't live as long as us. Maybe they got taken out by something else, or they got sick, or maybe even something like they moved away somewhere else." Medusa shrugs. "You can't really tell. Skydwellers just do whatever they feel like."

What Medusa speaks is true, but Athena still cannot help but feel… hm, Athena is not sure. Perhaps… sadness? Disappointment? Even if it had been centuries ago, she _had_ helped this group of skydwellers out, and to know their descendants might no longer be around—

Something tugs on her arm. It's Medusa, trying to both get her attention and pull her away from the stall. "Medusa?"

"You're thinking too hard again," Medusa tells her with a frown. "Shouldn't you feel better that you saved them when they needed you, rather than thinking about what happened after you left? I mean, whatever happened to them, you still protected them at that time, right?"

Athena had not thought about it that way. When Medusa puts it like that… it does help lift some of her spirits. "Still, I cannot help but think…"

"Look, I'm just saying… you're worrying too much about this." Medusa gestures around them. "The skydwellers are fine, don't you see? They've survived this long."

Perhaps Medusa is right, and Athena is worrying too much over this. There _is_ nothing she could have done, she _knows_ this, and yet, there's still a small prick of guilt she is feeling inside.

"Anyway!" Medusa's voice is back to her usual exuberance. "We've still got the whole day ahead of us. And this is the perfect chance for you too! There's _tons_ of things to learn about the skydwellers and everything they've been up to!"

She pats herself on the chest. "And you have me! I'll teach you real good about how to have fun, so make sure to pay attention to me!"

The way Medusa speaks with such self-confidence helps push away some of Athena's reservations.

"Come on! We have all the time in the world, but the skydwellers don't, you know."

"Ah. Right." With a nod, Athena allows Medusa to lead her away again, back into the crowd. Somehow, Medusa always seems to know what to say, even if her words sound harsh and blunt. Athena appreciates that side of her.

They continue to wander through the crowd. So many things are still happening. There's a large group of skydwellers that stop and Athena learns it is because some other skydwellers with instruments have started performing.

"What are they doing, I can't see," Medusa complains, standing on her tiptoes as she tries to peer over the others. Athena is tempted to pick her up and place her on her shoulders but she doubts Medusa would like that, and it would also no doubt attract unwanted attention that she knows Medusa does not like.

"It looks like a performance," Athena says. "Some instruments? One of them has strings, another looks like one you blow into, and something you hit with?"

"Oh. Hm." Medusa stops trying to look, waiting for a bit before walking away. "Eh, we'll probably hear them. No need to watch." She pauses mid-step, turning her head to look at Athena over her shoulder. "Unless you wanted to?"

"Oh…" Medusa is right, they'll still be able to hear the music. There's still many more things for them to do while walking around. Athena shakes her head and follows after Medusa who resumes walking.

The music is fast paced, something frantic, and yet, very rhythmic. Athena rather likes it; it makes her want to do some sort of physical activity, though she's not sure what it should be. This happens for a few minutes before the music changes, something slightly slower. She can still hear people clapping along, though. How fascinating skydweller music is, Athena thinks.

They continue to walk around, trying to take a look at everything while Medusa talks to her and points out things she finds interesting. Perhaps, it is just a busy town they've stumbled across even with all the people around, Athena thinks. Eventually, Medusa leads them away from all the noise and crowds, coming to a smaller street that doesn't seem as busy. She's fanning herself, a light sheen of sweat on her face. "Whew! Gotta take a break," she says.

Athena doesn't feel exerted herself, but it had been a bit tiring to walk through all the people. She looks up at the sky. The sun is past its peak now but still strong. It is still blue now but soon, it won't be long before it begins its descent and turns the sky orange. It still feels as if there is so much to do, not that Athena knows what else there is to do in the town either way.

Wandering around this with Medusa… feels nice too.

Medusa's eyes are roaming all over as she rests. "So what else do you want to—"

"Excuse me?"

Someone interrupts them. It is an elderly erune, her back slightly hunched as she stares at Athena in both awe and recognition.

Athena… does not know who she is.

"You're…" The old woman pauses, seemingly to gather herself. She shakes her head, still staring incredulously at Athena. "Is it really you?"

Athena looks over at Medusa, who shrugs and looks just as lost as her. "Forgive me, but may I ask who you are?" she finally asks.

"It was…" the woman pauses to look down at her fingers, counting. "It was over fifty years ago! You had come to my village when we were under attack by monsters and saved us. Do you remember?"

Athena thinks to herself. Fifty years ago… there were many places she had gone, and she had been focused on chasing Medusa in those years. She can glimpse Medusa making a face even at the mention of those years. Athena shakes her head. "Forgive me, I have been traveling around the skydom still… I cannot say I do."

"Oh! Then, you're still going around helping others?"

"That is my duty, yes," Athena says plainly.

"Amazing… you hardly look a day older since that time!" The old woman nods before she reaches out to take Athena's hands. Even as bony and withered as they are, her grip is still strong. "I'm just so glad I'm able to thank you for all your help back then!

"Ah…" Athena nods her head. "You've no need to thank me, it is my duty—"

Someone is watching them.

Athena looks around—and finds two pairs of eyes watching them from behind a building. The erune ears on the children twitch when they realize Athena is looking at them, and they duck back behind the building, only the tips of their ears visible now. The old woman turns around to see what Athena is looking at and laughs, her eyes crinkling with affection.

"Your family?" Athena asks.

"Yes, my grandchildren! I married and moved to this town a few years after you saved us." She gestures for the children to come but they seem content to stay where they are, hiding behind the corner of the building. Are they afraid of Athena? Children always seem to have a higher inclination for being able to sense their otherworldliness.

"Ah, they're just being shy," the woman says with a fond laugh. "If anything ever happens to them in their life, will you come save them too?"

Athena blinks. The question had been… unexpected, so to say. There's many answers Athena can give: there are so many islands in the sky, the possibility of Athena finding the same one again, and also coming right at a time when it is under attack is… unlikely. She cannot promise this… and she is most likely to tell the woman this—

But Athena looks at her again, sees the hope that still shines strong in them. She looks back out to the children waiting outside, looking at her and their grandma with curiosity. This… this is…

Of course, there is only one answer for her to give.

"If my aid is required, I will always give it," Athena swears.

The woman's eyes crinkle and she bows her head. "If you hadn't come that day… I don't think me, and my family, would still be alive. I'm glad you did, and I'm glad I could see you again."

"Thank you for everything you've done." She smiles widely, full of emotion and so sincere that both Medusa and Athena are astonished at the sight. The two of them watch her return to her grandchildren, the erunes waving one last time before disappearing around the corner.

"Huh, would you look at that," Medusa says. "Who would've thought."

"Hm..." Athena straightens herself up, looking down at her hands. The woman's hands were still warm, still full of life.

"Well?" Medusa grins as she nudges Athena's side with her elbow. "Doesn't it feel nice to get recognized for your efforts?"

"Does it?" Athena shakes her head. "All I had been doing was my duty, though."

"Ugh, that again. Just because you have to do it doesn't mean you're happy about it. But seeing that skydweller recognize you and thank you, doesn't that make you feel happy?"

"Happy…" Athena places a hand over her heart. There _is_ a warm feeling inside of her, one she hadn't been feeling before. Medusa… does have a point. "It does feel nice," she finally admits. "I am not doing this because I want to be recognized, though."

"I know that. Not a selfish bone in your body," Medusa says with a sigh.

Somehow, a small smile comes to Athena's lips. "It does make me happy to see that I have protected that smile."

"Then you should say that!" Medusa grins at her. "If it makes you feel happy, then it makes you feel happy! Even if it's something you're supposed to be doing!"

"I should say what makes me feel happy?" Athena asks. Medusa nods.

"Yeah!"

"Then…" Athena looks down at herself before back up at Medusa. "It made me happy when you decided to talk to me… and it also makes me happy to be here with you."

She really does mean it, and hopes that had come across in her words. If it were not for Medusa, she would not even be here right now, walking amongst the skydwellers. If it had been by herself, she would have been back at the ship, not even entertaining the thought of coming out to see what the mortals were up to. So it makes her happy that Medusa is going out of her way to show Athena around even despite Athena's own awkwardness.

Medusa blinks at her before her mouth falls open and she starts to sputter. "Wha—what are you—" Her whole face turns red and she quickly spins away. ""W-whatever! Let's just get going!"

She hurries through the crowd, and it's all Athena can do to keep up with her, eyes trained on Medusa. With all of her focus on Medusa, though, she can see how even the tips of Medusa's ears are reddening as well. Oh, is Medusa feeling unwell? But she seems energetic enough to push through the crowd, so perhaps not.

After several hours of wandering around, they come across Rosetta and Io, off to the side and chatting with each other. They wave when they see Athena and Medusa, the both of them navigating their way through the crowd to come to them.

"Hey! There's some tasty candy across the plaza, want to go check it out?" Io asks them, clearly excited at the thought. "Rosetta's a bit tired though, so it'll just be me!"

"Oh!" Medusa's eyes are sparkling at the thought as well. She looks up at Athena, expectant. "Well?"

"Ah…" Athena is… feeling rather tired a bit, so she shakes her head. "I will rest here with Rosetta. Have fun."

"Oh, okay." Medusa's face seems to fall slightly before Io gets her attention again. Now, they rush off through the crowd. Athena watches them, and sees them meet up with Lyria, and also Noa who seems just as tired, the four of them now braving their way through the crowd.

"What are you doing here?" Athena asks.

Rosetta gestures to the side. Yggdrasil and Tiamat are where Rosetta is pointing, hovering where a flower vendor, a young harvin woman, is speaking to them. Every now and then, Yggdrasil holds up a flower and looks directly over at Rosetta, who also happens to meet Yggdrasil's gaze at the same exact moment, the both of them communicating in that silent way of theirs.

"Waiting?" Athena asks.

"The other two aren't quite used to crowds this big, and especially being up close to the mortals. So they're… ah, taking it easy in their own way." Rosetta looks over at her, half of her lips curved in a smile. "How about you, Athena? You look like you've been dragged all over the place."

Athena thinks to herself. "I suppose that would be an apt description. Medusa had insisted on trying to see everything happening today."

Rosetta laughs. "I don't envy you. She's certainly a handful to be around. She used to drag us all over too before you came. Nowadays, it seems like you're more than enough for her."

"Hm." Athena is not sure what to make of that statement though it seems like Rosetta is even more amused than usual. She stares out toward the crowd of people instead, leaning back against the wall as Rosetta is doing. Medusa had certainly dragged her all over, and having this break is nice.

Rosetta continues to strike up a conversation with her as the two of them wait. Her group had been on the other side of town, doing things there. That there are still so many things left for them to do… Athena should tell Medusa this, she will no doubt be happy to learn there is still so much more to do.

"Are you having fun, Athena?" Rosetta asks suddenly. The way she smiles afterward gives Athena the impression she is withholding a secret. Athena has learned that this is simply how Rosetta is, always acting as if there is more to know. She's certainly learned how to decipher Medusa and her words much faster than Athena herself, that is for sure.

"Fun?" Athena blinks. Medusa had said she would teach her, but…

"If it's too much for you, I can tell Medusa to take it easy. I'm sure she's more likely to listen to a fellow primal."

"No!" Athena quickly says, shaking her head. Rosetta seems surprised. Athena is as well; she hadn't meant to interject so quickly, and so… strongly? Is that it? She hadn't been _objecting_... Medusa is already doing so much by being with her and showing her around.

"I…" Athena falls silent, pushing her lips together. She looks up instead, to see where Medusa is. Given Medusa's tiny stature, Athena would think it hard to spot Medusa in such a large crowd of people but she finds her easily enough, in front of a food stall with both Lyria and Noa at her side, her tail wagging back and forth in the air in her excitement. Whatever the food vendor seems to be making is done, and when he turns around, he hands over what look like sticks with fluff on them—oh! Athena knows this skydweller food. Cotton candy, as she remembered. It had been Lyria and Io who had brought the snack onboard the ship and allowed Athena to try some.

Athena thinks back to Rosetta's previous question. Fun? Is Athena having fun? How… can that quality be defined?

Is she having… fun?

As she looks over at Medusa and sees her smiling from ear to ear, she thinks… if Medusa is having fun, then Athena feels like she is having fun as well. Would that be how she would define it? No, that… sounds off.

Medusa catches her gaze, and she grins widely as she waves animatedly. Lyria sees her as well and joins in, and even Noa offers his own tiny wave as well. And before Athena realizes, and the others too it looks like judging by their own surprise, Medusa takes off, rushing through the crowd to come back to her.

"Hey! Try this!" Medusa says once she's in front of Athena. She holds up the stick of candy for Athena. "Just rip it off with your hand," she quickly adds when Athena leans in. "Heh! I bet you don't know what this is, huh?"

"It is cotton candy, is it not?" Athena says as she rips away a piece of the candy. It is a fascinating skydweller food, so light and fluffy, and made simply from the simple ingredient of sugar. The way it melts in her mouth is also another intriguing detail.

"Yeah, it's called cotton candy—wait, you already knew?!" Medusa seems affronted for some reason. Had Athena offended her?

"Yes? Lyria and Io had given me some before."

"Oh." Medusa frowns.

"I'm sorry, are you upset?"

"What? No, I'm not." Medusa shakes her head, sighing. "I'll just go find something else that's new for you to try then." And with that, she rushes back through the crowd to rejoin Lyria and Noa again. Lyria points elsewhere, and Athena watches them move to another food stall now although Noa looks more reluctant. That one looks like it is selling something savory, though Athena cannot tell what it might be.

Medusa's strange behavior is bothering Athena, though. "Did… I offend Medusa, somehow?" she asks Rosetta.

Rosetta gives her a look before she laughs. "Oh, no, that's not the right word. She was more… disappointed, I would say."

"Disappointed?" Athena frowns. Had she been the one to ruin Medusa's good mood? She does not like that thought.

"She really wanted you to try something new, but you already knew what it was."

Athena thinks to herself. "Should I have pretended that I did not know, then?"

Rosetta laughs again. "That's up to you to decide. I think a girl like Medusa appreciates honesty more, though."

"Oh… but honesty is a good virtue."

"That it is," Rosetta murmurs in agreement. It looks like she's about to add more before she stops, chuckling and saying something under her breath that Athena cannot hear over the noise of the crowd. If it was not important for her to say aloud, then it must not have been important to hear, Athena decides.

Athena looks back out toward the crowd. Just as easily as before, she can find Medusa even despite her short stature. She is at the other food vendor that Lyria had pointed to earlier although Noa is missing now—ah, no, Athena sees him off to the side with Rackam, looking much more energetic than when he was following around the girls.

"Rosetta, you asked me earlier if I was… having fun."

"Oh?" Athena spies Rosetta giving her a quick glance before she returns her gaze back to the crowd. "What about it?"

"I… I think I am." Athena pauses to collect her thoughts. She looks out over the crowd, of all the people smiling and laughing at each other.

_"Since you're always fighting to protect ones in trouble, I bet you don't have much of an idea what a regular town looks like, do you?"_

She thinks about Medusa's words many times when she walks amongst the mortals. It… _does_ feel strange, to not have to think about how she might be able to fortify this town further, or look at a crowd of people and think best how to shield them under the threat of flying monsters, or—

Ah… she's doing it again. Still, she cannot help it. This has been her duty, the _purpose_ for her creation… how can she change so easily the very reason for her existence?

But Rosetta and Medusa… they, too, were also made as weapons for their Astral masters against the skydwellers and yet, here they are today, laughing alongside them as friends and protecting them from danger. Is Athena so different that she cannot change?

Hm… perhaps it is not so much that she cannot change… but she already is without realizing? That she is already desiring to do this… is already speaking volumes about how changed she is. Certainly, centuries ago, she would have never thought of this.

Athena's eyes roam back over the crowd. Everyone there is smiling and laughing with each other, having a wonderful time together. She thinks of the old woman she had seen today, how grateful she'd been and how bright her smile had been too. She thinks of the people from centuries ago, when she had protected them, how happy they had been when they had been saved.

It… is truly a nice feeling, she decides.

Athena can see Medusa and the others making their way back through the crowd now. Medusa's gaze meets hers, and the grin on her face grows even wider as she gestures to the food she has in her hands, trying to hurry back. From behind, she can see Lyria and Io laughing, suddenly rejoined by Djeeta. They pick up their pace to follow after Medusa, and Athena can also see Noa and Rackam trailing behind them.

"Yes," Athena continues, her lips twitching into a smile. "I am having fun."

* * *

Days pass, weeks roll, months come, and time passes.

The Captain announces they need a vacation and she's going to treat them all out with the money they've just earned from Siero after their last mission. Athena is aware of the concept of a vacation though she can't say she agrees that _she_ needs one.

"Of course you have to take a break! All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," Io had said to both her and Katalina once. Athena had not understood. Who is Jack? What makes him dull? Is working hard not a good virtue to have?

"What does that mean?" Athena had asked Medusa.

Medusa had stared at her for several long seconds before hissing out, "All work and no play makes Athena a dull girl!"

"... oh."

Vacation, as Athena soon learns, is the crew taking a trip to Auguste. Athena has vague memories of this island, perhaps from centuries ago. Either way, she comes here as if this is her very first time. It is a beautiful island, filled with sparkling waters. She understands now, why the skydwellers choose to come here for their vacation.

Still, Athena is confused as to what one _does_ on a vacation, in any case. Luckily for Athena, though, Medusa is here and she drags Athena off to find a curious outfit the skydwellers call a swimsuit. How interesting, that skydwellers have set aside specific outfits just to be in the water.

Playing at the beach is enjoyable enough. Some of the members of the crew ask her to play with them with a ball, some sort of game where they stand on different sides of a court and hit the ball back and forth. It is fun, and with how much she exerted herself, considers it as the training she is missing out on. Medusa afterward takes her into the ocean, splashing water onto her.

"Having fun, right?" Medusa asks, grinning as she kicks up water at Athena. For the most part, the water sizzles on Athena's skin before evaporating, a small side effect of being a fire primal. Interesting, though.

"I am, but it is not fair for you to swim out further into the ocean after splashing me!" Athena chases after Medusa, who only laughs. Just as Athena is about to reach her, Medusiana bursts out of the water, carrying Medusa on her head and quickly slithering away from Athena. Medusa sticks her tongue out at Athena as she gets further away.

"Hey!"

Despite that, Athena still finds herself having fun. She spends several days like this, playing around with Medusa, being invited by the crew to try the delicious Auguste seafood, and enjoying the scenery of the beach.

Everything is incredible, she thinks.

On one night though, Athena finds herself restless. Even though her eyes feel heavy, there is a strange somberness she feels inside that is keeping her awake. It puts her in the mood to wander, aimlessly walking along the shore.

The constant noise of the ebbing waves grants her a small calm. With the cool sea breeze blowing in as well, Athena closes her eyes slightly to enjoy the sensations. When she opens them, she sees the dark expanse of the ocean before her, only illuminated by the light of the moon shining down.

_"Sometimes, you have to stop and enjoy the sights too!"_

Medusa had told her that once. Athena tries hard to take her advice when she can remember them. Still, she would have never thought to simply stand here to enjoy the natural beauties of the world. The thought has… simply never occurred to her.

Athena has been alive for so many long years yet it feels as if she is finally seeing the world for the first time. And still, the world is continuously changing. There is no end for primal beasts; Athena will surely still be alive here as she will be in a century, as she will be in a millenia.

Will this sight before her survive the passage of time? Will she still be able to see this same sight before her as the years pass?

When the seasons change, when the years pass, when time continues to move ahead… where will she be?

"Athena!"

Startled out of thought, Athena looks around before recognizing the voice that called out to her. Medusa is further down the shoreline, waving at her as she runs to catch up. Athena stays where she is, watching Medusa. The last she had seen of her, she'd been with the others of their crew, walking around the souvenir shops of the island.

"You're so far away from everyone else," Medusa says when she comes close, grumbling. "What are you doing out here? I was trying to look for you."

"You were?" Athena frowns.

"It's way past when you normally go to sleep," Medusa points out. "So, something's keeping you awake."

Athena blinks again. "I was not aware you were keeping track of when I went to sleep."

Medusa's eyes widen, angrily whirling to Athena. "W-w-what!? Why do you have to say it like that?!"

"Like what?"

"I… ugh, never mind." Medusa shakes her head. She seems upset, but instead she walks out toward the water. Medusa stares out for a bit before bending down, to prod at something in the sand before she stands up. She continues to look out toward the water.

Athena can't help but keep watching her. Under the light of the moon, and Medusa's long strands of hair blowing in the wind, she seems… ephemeral, as if she will disappear. That is impossible, Athena knows, but for some reason, it is a feeling she has. It is not as if Medusa had not disappeared on her several times before. Athena wants to reach out, to touch her and make sure she is still here, to ask her—

Medusa looks up, meeting Athena's gaze. She regards Athena for a moment before frowning and crossing her arms. "W-what is it? You're just staring at me."

Athena blinks several times. Medusa is still in front of her. "I was only thinking how nice you looked."

"Wh—" Medusa stills suddenly, staring at Athena with wide eyes, her tail thrashing against the sand. It must not have been the right thing to say, judging by Medusa's reaction. Athena looks away.

"... I apologize if I've made you discomforted."

"N-no you didn't! I-I mean, of course I look nice! It's good to have that acknowledged!"

Athena looks back. "Really?"

"Really." Medusa sighs afterward, looking away from Athena as she grumbles under breath. Whatever it is, Athena does not hear, and she does not ask further.

"Oh."

Silence falls between them again. Athena is looking up at the stars again, but there is… a strange mood in the air. She gets the feeling that Medusa does not like the silence, and that Athena should say something. What would be the right thing to say, then? Perhaps she should explain herself.

"I found myself unable to rest, and walked along the shore. I stopped here and…" Athena looks down back out toward the ocean. "I don't know why I stopped here, to be honest."

"Huh? What the heck is that? I bet you're just overthinking something like you always are."

"Oh... " Athena hums to herself. "Is it so easy to tell?"

"For someone like you, yeah."

Athena places a hand on her face. Nothing about it seems off nor does she think she's making any sort of different expression. It surprises her sometimes, how well Medusa can tell apart her moods. She wonders if she might be able to do the same for Medusa someday.

"... ah," Athena only says, and nothing else. The sounds of the lapping water fills the air instead. She hears Medusa shifting on her feet and the swish of her tail as it cuts through the air.

"... that it?" Medusa puts her hands on her hips as she saunters over, a frown on her face. "Not going to tell me anything?"

"Is… there something I should be telling you?" Athena blinks down at Medusa, who tries to glare up at her. As she's much smaller, Medusa has to tilt her chin higher than normal to even meet Athena's eyes. It makes her glare even harder though it has very little effect on Athena, already long used to Medusa's glares.

"I just… listen, if there's something bothering you, then you can tell me!" Medusa's eyes widen suddenly as she begins to shake her head. "I-I mean, don't get the wrong idea! It isn't like I care but it looks like you want to talk!"

"... do I?" Athena still thinks she doesn't look any different than she normally does. Or, perhaps, she does feel a lot more pensive than she normally does. Perhaps that is what Medusa meant.

She had meant to come out here to ruminate on her own… but as Medusa is out here, perhaps it might be better to conversate with her instead. Is this not what Athena had wanted for the longest time, to be able to talk candidly with Medusa?

"Do you think the stars today look the same as they did five hundred years ago?" Athena finally says.

"... huh? The stars? That's really what you're thinking of?" Medusa puts a hand over her eyes as she stares up, squinting. "Five hundred years ago, huh... I don't really know, they always look the same to me, though." Her hand falls back down, and when Athena looks at her, Medusa is staring intently now. "There's always that star that shines the brightest, though." A small smile comes to her face as she points upward. "When my sisters and me were lost, we always looked up to find it and figure our way around."

Athena looks back up. She can see the star Medusa is talking about; it shines the brightest in the entire sky, and where they are right now with barely any lights around them, it is like a beacon in the middle of a sea. Athena has also used that same star several times for navigation when she had gotten lost. For all intents and purposes though, it certainly _feels_ that it is the same sky Athena has gazed up at for her entire life… and yet also not at the same time.

"I have heard some skydwellers say that even stars can die out, that they become as bright as they can for a single moment before disappearing forever," Athena comments. Who was it that had told her that? Ah, that strange skydweller claiming to be a former actor from a theater troupe, what was his name—

"Huh, is that so?" Medusa hums. "Well, if they really do, I can't tell the difference, so I don't really care about it. They're still pretty, though."

Athena murmurs an agreement, still gazing up at the sky though her thoughts continue to wander. If even the stars do not exist forever though… does that mean there might come a chance for both her and Medusa, and for all primal beasts, to experience… the end of their lives?

Athena does not like the morbidity her thoughts have taken.

"Oh! Look! A shooting star!"

The interruption from Medusa is a thankful one, as she quickly comes over to grab Athena's arm and points up at the sky. When Athena follows her finger though, there doesn't seem to be anything different. "Did you see it?!"

"No, I'm afraid not." Athena narrows her eyes. "What is it supposed to look like?"

"Oh. Like something shooting across the sky! Like the name, shooting star!" Medusa sounds disappointed and shakes her head. "You know, skydwellers believe that wishing upon a shooting star means you'll get your wish granted. Too bad you didn't see it."

"Oh? Wishes?" Athena is curious as to how that works. Where had that belief come from? Perhaps there might even be a primal beast out there that grants the wishes people make upon a star?

"I-I mean, don't you think it's kind of silly?! How is something like a dumb star supposed to grant us something like wishes?" Even as Medusa says those words though, Athena can see her grin slipping slightly. Her voice softens to almost a faint whisper. "It doesn't work anyway, because my sisters haven't come to me yet."

Even with her despondence, Medusa continues to stare up at the night sky with an intensity that rivals her destitution. Athena… is overcome with an urge to reach out—her hand is moving before she realizes, gently laying down over Medusa's shoulder.

Medusa does not jolt away or move her head but simply roams her eyes down to glance at it. "What's that for?" she asks, her voice gruff but without the usual fire behind it.

Athena shakes her head. "I… don't know. I felt like I wanted to do it."

"Hmph!" Medusa huffs but says nothing else about Athena's odd behavior. Athena would like to understand herself too, but she can find no answers within herself. It had only felt right to do.

"Anyway!" Medusa's voice cuts through the silence. "If you saw a shooting star, what would you wish for?"

"A wish?" Athena frowns to herself. "But I did not see it. Why would I make a wish?"

Medusa rolls her eyes. "That's why I'm asking what you'd do _if_ you saw one!"

"Oh…" If there is a wish for Athena to make, she thinks it would be for Medusa to find her sisters. Somehow, though, she thinks that would not sound right to say aloud at this moment. Medusa might get upset and sad again, and Athena does not like to see her like that.

"A wish…" Athena stares up at the stars. After so many centuries, the stars are still up in the sky. Standing underneath them, Athena ponders… has she remained the same as well, for all these centuries? Will she continue to remain the same, for ongoing centuries as well?

The Athena of five centuries ago staring up at this sky would not have thought much about this sight. The Athena of now, staring up at the stars in the moment, is doing so with the company of Medusa by her side… and she finds it rather pleasant.

"Well? What do you wish for?" Medusa's earlier despondence is gone now, replaced by a mischievous sparkle. That looks better, Athena thinks. For someone so spirited and headstrong like Medusa, seeing her down in her spirits is an unwelcome sight.

"But I thought you said that the wishes did not come true though," Athena points out.

Medusa scowls. "I did, but you know, you can do this just for fun too! You can do that much, can you?"

"Then, I wish for peace across the skydom," Athena answers. Simple, and to the point. There's nothing else more she could want. When Medusa makes a face at her, she's not sure what she's said wrong.

"Ugh, that's too broad. You can't say something like that!"

"... I can't?"

"No! Wish for something you really want!"

"... what I want?" Athena blinks. She thinks but nothing comes to mind. "I… am not sure of what else I might want. Other than peace across the skydoms, of course—"

"Oh, come on! It doesn't have to be anything big! Like…" Medusa holds up a finger. "Like you want to eat bonito soon or something."

Athena isn't sure she understands, but somehow, she does. Bonito is rare, and they're lucky to even have a bite of it, or so the tales of the skydwellers go. Athena herself has never eaten it. Sustainability is different for primal beasts than skydwellers, and food does not need to be delicious for nourishment. Although if she must be honest, Athena does enjoy being able to eat what the crew likes.

"Then… something I want to eat?" Athena asks.

"Yeah! Or, well, it doesn't have to be like that. But you get the idea, right?"

"I see…" Athena nods though she really doesn't fully understand. It only shows how lacking in experience she still is. Medusa is much more worldly than her that it feels as if Athena is always learning something new every time they speak to each other. To think she would learn so much beyond her duty—

Ah.

Her duty…

Athena looks back up at the stars again. It had been a part of her duty to stop Medusa's rampage whenever she had acted out. Somehow, in all her years of chasing after Medusa, a small wish had still taken hold in Athena's heart, of wanting to be more beyond enemies. To think that they would be here now, on the beaches of Auguste, having… such an inane conversation like this. No, Athena could never describe their conversations as inane, but all the same, they are conversations Athena could never think she would be able to have with Medusa.

To learn of all of this—

"I have never wanted much," Athena begins. "A long time ago, I did have one wish I hoped would be granted, but that has already been fulfilled. Thus, if I were to make a wish now, I believe I should wish for..." and she stops, mulling over how she should voice this. She knows now what she should wish for, but to say it in a way that adequately gets across her feelings—

Ah, her feelings. Is that not the most important part? As if fitting pieces of a puzzle together, Athena thinks she understands now why skydwellers look up at the sky and wish upon the shooting stars. To her, skydwellers feel like the stars; they live their lives so brightly for a wink of time before disappearing forever. They rush around to struggle, to toil, to strive… for their feelings push them to live so strongly.

Athena hardly remembers her feelings of five hundred years ago, of four hundred years ago, of even two hundred years ago… but twenty years ago? Of thirty years ago?

Of… seventy-nine years ago?

She remembers.

"Well? What is it?" Medusa leans closer to her, a grin on her face.

Athena looks back down toward the ocean instead. Across the dark sea, the stars twinkle upon the waters. Looking up at the stars, or down at the ocean, both sights are beautiful for her to marvel at. She never would have thought about enjoying this sort of sight if it weren't for the one at her side right now.

"I wish…"

In the end, there are still very many things Athena barely understands, of Medusa, of herself, of the world, of her entire life.

But, she is a primal beast, and she has been granted more than enough time to try to learn and understand herself. Being here with the skydwellers, being here with the other primal beasts, being here with Medusa... gives rise to many new experiences that Athena had never thought possible, almost as endless as the depths of the sea and the stars in the sky. Ah… has she ever had a clearer thought for the future than now?

For as much as she dislikes uncertainty, as she stands here underneath the light of the moon on the shores of Auguste with Medusa at her side, here in this moment… there is one certainty she knows for what she desires. For her, for Medusa, for the both of them whose lives will span far beyond the reaches of the sky, she understands now. Athena looks back down, to meet Medusa's eyes.

"... to see eternity with you."

Medusa stares at her, eyes wide. To think that once, Athena had been wary of these eyes gazing upon her! Medusa is so expressive, and she says so much with her eyes. For all she seems to blunder over her words sometimes, her eyes are always so honest. Athena likes looking into them.

"No! No, you can't—you can't wish that!" Medusa finally sputters.

"Oh…" Not even for that either? Making wishes… is harder than it looks, Athena learns.

"N-no! I mean…" Medusa pushes her lips together, the tips of her fangs peeking out past her lips. She looks torn—oh, was Athena's wish perhaps… too imposing upon her? Athena worries now, but what can she say?

"My life—my very own creation!—has been defined by my purpose. I have never thought that I might be able to find anything else. I know to achieve the peace across the entire sky is a lofty dream… and I know that it will take many, many long centuries, perhaps even several millennia before there might even be a chance for it…" Athena pauses to collect herself.

Athena looks away, staring out over the ocean again. In the darkness, she cannot see its end… just as she looks up at the stars in the sky and sees their endless path, she is not sure if she can even see the end of her own path right now. And yet, is this not what all mortals do? To walk so boldly ahead even into the unknown…

"It had been you who told me to figure out what I want to do beyond my duty… and I believe I have the answer to that."

The sounds of the crashing waves fill the silence after Athena's words. The wind feels as if it has grown colder. Medusa will be cold if she stays out here. Athena ducks her head—

"I-I can't promise anything," comes Medusa's voice suddenly. Athena looks over at her—ah, but when had Medusa come so close to her? She's standing next to Athena now, so close their arms are nearly touching.

"But if that's your wish, then…" Medusa doesn't look at her, and she seems like she's hiding her face from Athena, which is an easy feat considering how much smaller she is.

Then Athena feels it, Medusa's fingers brushing against hers, hesitant. Athena holds her breath. Should she reach out? Should she wait for Medusa? Should she…

If she had another wish…

No, she doesn't need a wish for this.

So Athena reaches out, taking Medusa's hand into her own. Medusa jolts, her hand tensing and Athena gets the feeling she will withdraw… but it never comes. Medusa's hand, small as it is, seems to feel even warmer than Athena's.

She likes this feeling.

Athena looks back up at the sky. It is dark now but when the sun comes out, it will be the blue, the same blue that she has known since the beginning of her life.

The sky... is endlessly blue. As time rolls toward eternity, will it still continue to be blue?

Athena wants to see it, what color the sky will be at the end of her duty.


End file.
